HOSHANAH RABBAH (Tishri 21) — The seventh day of Chag Sukkot, a half
Holy Day, is marked by the recitation of many 'hosha-na' ("help us, we pray")
prayers recited by worshippers carrying bundles of twigs from willow trees (which usually
grow along river banks) as they make seven circuits of the synagogue. This practice is
related to the tradition that on Hoshanah Rabba, final Heavenly judgment on the amount of
rainfall to insure bountiful harvests is rendered.
Timeline:
Tishri 15 — Chag Sukkot(Yeshua Born)
Tishri 16 — Chag Sukkot Day 2
Tishri 17 — Chag Sukkot Day 3
Tishri 18 — Chag Sukkot Day 4
Tishri 19 — Chag Sukkot Day 5
Tishri 20 — Chag Sukkot Day 6
Tishri 21 — Hoshanah Rabbah
Tishri 22 — Sh'minei Azaret (B'rit
Milah performed on Yeshua)
Tishri 23 — Simchat Torah
It is interesting to note that in Hebrew thinking, a birth of a male is not completed
until the circumcision.
Therefore, the prayer "HASHEM, save
us!" comes the night before the circumcision of the Messiah, and hence, before his
birth is completed. "Save us, we beseech thee! For thy sake
Eloheim,
save thou us! For thy sake, O creator, save thou us! For Thy sake, O Redeemer, save thou
us! For thy sake, O Thou who seeks us, save us, we beseech thee!"
So begins the Hoshanah prayers. This may have been what the crowd was crying as
Yeshua
entered Jerusalem. It literally reads, in Mark, They were Saying Hosanna. This may mean
they were speaking the Hoshanah prayer, as they acknowledged Yeshua as
Messiah and King of Yisra'el.
